Demons Downed Braves, Scorekeeper Braved a Demon

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky- It's common for rival high school volleyball teams to duel it out for bragging rights for the year. In Grant County, Ky. the Lady Demons of Williamstown and the Grant County Lady Braves served up some pink to make the audience think about breast cancer.

"It's a great fundraiser… activity for all of the Grant County community to get involved in," explained Williamstown Athletics Director Todd Dupin. "Our volleyball teams have been doing this for four or five years now. It's something for everybody to get into."

Everyone in attendance was involved from businesses to coaches, from fans to players, all wanted to watch a competitive volleyball game between cross county foes, and dig out cash for the Grant County Cancer Center.

Anna Collins is co-owner of Two Ladies and a Cake, she and her partner were set up in the school's foyer selling their goods topped with pink ribbons icing. Every bit of money earned was donated to the cause.

Williamstown Assistant Volleyball Coach, Angela Williams, is passionate about cancer awareness. Her husband of eight years is a cancer survivor.

"We found out he had cancer the week we got married," Williams explained. "I've been the care giver. It just touches my heart special... and I think it does the girls when it's someone special to them."

Just about everyone in the gymnasium knows the score of someone they know who has or had cancer. Barb Burgess also keeps a tally. Burgess is the scorekeeper at all volleyball and girls basketball games.

"She's just the kind of woman that picks everyone else up and keeps us going," said Williams of Burgess. "She's always there for the girls. She always goes the extra mile."

Burgess has influence just about anyone she has come in contact with at the high school. So when Burgess was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 months ago, the word spread among community quickly.

"I did cry," recalled a Williamstown Alumnae and now Grant County Associate Volleyball Coach Amanda Goodrich. "It was very heart breaking to know that someone that close was hurt that bad."

"I was devastated, 'cause she's such a good person. She didn't deserve that," said Williamstown senior volleyball player Makayla True.

Barb's personality, commitment to the students and character is what the evenings event symbolized. Helping people who need it and researching for a cure to keep those they love alive.

"She went through the chemo treatments and the day she was released she was back working… driving a bus and doing her job like it never happened," explained Williams.

Between the first and second game of the match, Williams and the "Two Ladies and a Cake" walked to mid-court to announce the raffle winner of a gift basket, but only after they called Burgess away from the scorer's table to present her with gift basket.

Burgess would not talk about her experience battling cancer or why she commits herself to the students. She prefers the spotlight to be shown on the kids. She volunteers for them.

Makayla True summed up why the cancer awareness benefit was important to her, "We wouldn't get all excited for this I don't think and she just makes it all that much easier to do. We feel like we should give back to her, because she gives to us."

While volleyball is a game for fun, rivalry, and school spirit, cancer is a matter of battling for life. For Barb, beating cancer was to be able to live to help girls play a game.

While the Grant County Braves lost to the Demons two games to none, Burgess braved the cancer demon and is up one to nothing.